Romeo and Juliet

ACT I REVIEW
Prologue

Ø Summary of the play

Ø Setting: Verona, Italy

Ø Old argument between two families causes fights/riots

Ø

Ø There are two “star-crossed lovers”

Ø - ill-fated
Ø - not meant to be together

Ø Only the deaths of Romeo and Juliet can end the argument
Ø - They are the “star-crossed” lovers
Act 1, Scene 1

u Capulet servants boast about fighting Montagues (enemy)

u Capulet servant insults/ bites his thumb at Montague servant which starts a
fight (riot)
u Benvolio arrives and tries to break up fight
u Tybalt provokes Benvolio into fighting
Tybalt: What, drawn, and talk of
peace! I hate the word,
As I hate hell, all Montagues, and
thee:
Have at thee, coward!
What is your
impression of
Romeo? u Lord Montague: Away from the light steals
home my heavy son,
Romeo’s parents (the And private in his chamber pens himself,
Montagues) and Benvolio Shuts up his windows, locks far daylight
discuss Romeo’s mood.
out
- Benvolio has seen Romeo And makes himself an artificial night:
wandering around.
- He sees that Romeo wants
to be left alone;
- so, he doesn’t bother him.
Act 1, Scene 1

Ø Romeo tells Benvolio that he is depressed

Ø Romeo loves Rosaline. (Romeo is obsessed with
her.)
Ø Rosaline wants nothing to do with him; she has
sworn off love and men to become a nun
Ø Benvolio wants Romeo to look at other girls to
date
Act 1, Scene 2

Ø Count Paris, who is 21, asks

Lord Capulet if he can marry
Juliet.
Ø Capulet would like Paris to
wait 2 years
Ø Capulet will agree to the
marriage only if Juliet also
agrees. He tells Paris to
begin wooing her Lord Capulet: But woo her, gentle Paris, get her
heart,
My will to her consent is but a part;
An she agree, within her scope of choice
Lies my consent and fair according voice.
Act 1, Scene 2
Benvolio and Romeo
find out about the
Capulets’ party.
Romeo reads the guest
list for an illiterate
servant.
Rosaline is invited to
the party. Romeo is
interested in going
now!
Act 1, Scene 2
Benvolio talks Romeo
into crashing the party.
¡ Benvolio wants
Romeo to
compare Rosaline
to other girls.
¡ He thinks Romeo
will realize that
there are other
women in the
world.
Benvolio: Go thither; and, with unattainted eye,
Compare her face [Rosaline’s] with some that I
shall show,
And I will make thee think thy swan a crow.
Act 1, Scene 3
Lady Capulet goes to
see Juliet about
marrying Paris.
Nurse rambles on and
on; says Juliet will be
14 in 2 weeks. She
speaks crude Lady Capulet: Well, think of marriage now;
comments about younger than you,
Juliet, showing her Here in Verona, ladies of esteem,
Are made already mothers: by my count,
lower class I was your mother much upon these years
That you are now a maid. Thus then in brief:
The valiant Paris seeks you for his love.
Act 1, Scene 3
Ø Juliet says that she hasn’t
thought about marriage at
all.
It does not appear she
wants to marry Paris
but she is obedient to her
mother’s wishes.
Ø Nurse thinks that marrying
Paris would be a good
idea.
Ø Juliet agrees to meet Paris
at the party and consider
his offer of marriage.
 Romeo: I fear, too early: for my
mind misgives
Act 1, Scene 4 Some consequence yet hanging
in the stars
Ø Mercutio tries to
Shall bitterly begin his fearful date
cheer Romeo up
by talking about
his dream. With this night's revels and expire
the term
Ø Romeo fears that Of a despised life closed in my
something bad is breast
going to come of By some vile forfeit of untimely
this night; i.e. he death.
might die.
FORESHADOWING
Mercutio’s Queen
Mab Monologue
Ø Queen Mab : an imaginary
fairy who brings dreams of
people’s fantasies & fears
to them as they sleep
Ø Romeo says he listens to his
dreams
Ø Mercutio uses the Queen
Mab speech to tell Romeo
to ignore his dreams;
dreams are nonsense– he
gives many examples
Act 1, Scene 5
Ø Lord Capulet welcomes all
to his party.

Ø Romeo sees Juliet across

the room and falls in ‘love’
with Juliet. (Rosaline who?)
Romeo: O, she doth teach
the torches to burn bright!
It seems she hangs upon
the cheek of night
Like a rich jewel in an
Ethiope's ear
 — Tybalt, who is a hothead, overhears
Romeo talking about Juliet and instantly
wants to kill him.
Act 1, Scene 5
— Tybalt: Uncle, this is a Montague, our foe,/ A
villain that is hither come in spite,
To scorn at our solemnity this night
FORESHADOWING
— Lord Capulet stops Tybalt from fighting in
his house and warns him to calm down or
to leave the party.
— Lord Capulet reminds Tybalt that Romeo is
behaving
Act 1, Scene 5

Ø Romeo and Juliet meet but do not exchange

names.

Ø They instantly fall in love.

Romeo worships Juliet with religious devotion
Saints and prayers are referenced in their dialogue

Ø As people are leaving, Nurse tells Romeo who

Juliet is. She is a Capulet and his enemy.
Romeo to Nurse: Is she a Capulet?
O dear account! my life is my foe's deb
Act 1, Scene 5

Nurse also identifies Romeo for Juliet. He is a Montague and her enemy.
Juliet to Nurse: My only love sprung from my only hate!
Too early seen unknown, and known too late!
Prodigious birth of love it is to me,
That I must love a loathed enemy.

Both Romeo and Juliet are depressed at these discoveries.

Juliet to Nurse: Go ask his name: if

he be married.
My grave is like to be my wedding
bed.
Discussion Questions

u What does the first scene of the play reveal about Romeo’s behavior?
Explain how he changes by the end of Act I. Romeo has been plunged
into a state of lovesick melancholy. He is supposedly in love with the
chaste Rosaline.
u What is your impression of Juliet’s father? Describe the relationship
between Capulet and his daughter as it is shown during Scene ii
u What concepts of love are presented by the female characters in Scene
iii?
u Characterize Mercutio as he appears in Scene iv. What kind of friend is he
to Romeo?
u What do you learn about Tybalt in Scene v?
u Analyze the behavior of Tybalt, Mercutio, and Benvolio in Act I. Based on
your analysis, predict what their roles might be in the rest of the play.
u Compare Romeo’s reaction to Juliet’s when each discovers the true
identity of the other.
u Do Romeo’s feelings for Juliet seem different from his feelings for Rosaline?
Explain your answer.
Literary Elements

u A foil is a character in literature who has qualities that are in sharp contrast
to another character, thus emphasizing the qualities of each. How is
Mercutio a foil to Romeo?
u Foreshadowing refers to hints in the text about what will occur later. What
examples of foreshadowing do you find in the Prologue and in Scene iv of
Act I?
u Hyperbole means obvious exaggeration. Look at Romeo’s declaration of
love for Rosaline in Act I, Scene i. What examples can you find of
hyperbole? Discuss why you think he overstates his feelings.
Literary Elements

u A pun is a play on words that have similar sounds but more than one
possible spelling or meaning. Scene iv, in which Romeo and his friends
banter on the way to the Capulet’s masquerade party, is filled with puns.
Find a pun in this scene, and explain its different meanings and effect.
u Good drama has conflict: struggle between opposing forces. What
conflicts are set in motion by events in Scene v?
Activity

u Create character profiles of: Romeo, Juliet, Tybalt, Mercutio, Lord Capulet
u Fun facts about the Play
u Quote Collage of Act 1: Create a chart highlighting important quotes from
Act I
u Write a poem in response to Love at First Sight: Focus on the scene where
Romeo meets Juliet and his reaction to her, you can be opposing or
agreeing to the idea of love at first sight.